Golden Warrior
by ArtemisMoonrose
Summary: A pack of young wolves is alone in the wilderness. When Kiba and his pack find them, new bonds are created...and rivalries. Can these she-wolves help to fight Darcia, and find Paradise?
1. Chapter 1

**I ADORE WOLF'S RAIN!!!! Just wanted to get that off my chest. As anyone who has watched Wolf's Rain will know I do not own any of the Wolf's Rain characters, however I do own Aya, Ren, Rika, Maiko and Aika. My first fiction on this site. Enjoy...**

_In each family a story is playing itself out, and each family's story embodies its hope and despair.  
-- Auguste Napier _

Chapter One – The Family

_Is it possible to have a wolf pack made of Omega's? We were a pack, there was no questioning that, but each one of us was a weakling, too young yet to be considered a full grown wolf. From birth we had been taught the tricks of hunting and fighting through play, but that is all it was to us. Play. We didn't yet have the skills or the experience to fight successfully for our survival. We thought it would never happen. Independence. The pack was thriving, how were we to know that we would become separated from it? How were we to know that the days of the Greater pack were at an end? Yet they did end. Those days came to a close long before we were ready for it. One day we woke up, and the pack just wasn't there anymore. The mass of warm bodies was gone from around us. We were barely more than cubs, and we were alone._

Beside me in the cave I felt the shuddering of fur and flesh. Maiko, the youngest and smallest in our little group of yearlings, shivered beside me. Her coat was milky blonde, still soft and downy like a pups. Not enough to keep in the heat, when around her the air was like ice. I shuffled closer to her, trying to share our body heat. She whimpered, pressing her nose into the thick ruff of golden fur around my neck. I sighed, steam billowing from my mouth and nostrils.

We had been hiding in this cave for a week now, hiding from the relentless blizzard outside. There were five of us, all females who hadn't yet reached their full growth potential. Out of that five, three had been shunned to the edge of the pack. Ren, Rika and Maiko. The pack hadn't thought they would last the winter, and had outcast them. It wasn't cold or heartless. It wasn't done to hurt them. It was simply wolf law. Those unable to support the pack must be cast to the side. The Greater pack was all about preservation and protection of the strongest. Survival of the fittest. Aika and I, the two wolves who completed our particular group, were yearlings picked by the pack to become warriors, hunters, pup-bearers, even future Alpha's. They saw we would grow large and strong, and decided to train us to become fighters. But the pack was destroyed before we reached our full potential. Now we train ourselves.

Aika, always strong and silent, clambered to her feet and lay down on Maiko's other side. With a slight whine as she pressed herself against the cold little body, she huddled in, helping me warm our smallest pack sister. Aika's thick caramel brown fur puffed out as she transferred her heat. As Maiko whimpered Aika met my eyes over Maiko's back. Out of all of us, Maiko was the happy, boisterous one. Seeing her like this, with barely the strength to lift her head, worried us. I dipped my muzzle, lapping gently at Maiko's closed eyes. "Maiko, you can't sleep. Not when you're still this cold."

Maiko's eyes remained closed, and she gave the tiniest of whines. "Maiko!" I growled, nipping her ear. With a yelp her eyes snapped open. "You mustn't sleep Maiko. If you fall asleep in this cold you wont wake up."

"I wish I could Aya," she whispered, "Oh I wish I could sleep."

"Soon Maiko. Soon you can sleep."

We all fell silent again, except for the panting of steam from our muzzles. On the wind, howling on the blizzard, a wolf's call reached us. My ears pricked forward. Could there still be survivors out there? Are any of the pack still alive? Aika met my eyes again.

"On our way here to the cave I saw some wolves," she whispered, "there were four of them. I didn't recognise them, they weren't pack."

"Whoever they were I hope they find somewhere safe to spend the night. This blizzard is evil."

"The storm appears to be dying. I think it will be over by tomorrow."

"Then tomorrow I shall hunt. We'll need food if we're going to last another night."

Aika snarled slightly. "You can't go alone Aya! You're not at your full strength. You could get hurt. Let me come with you, I can help..."

"You can help by staying and protecting the others. I can hunt for us alone but I cannot hunt if I feel our pack isn't safe. You need to protect them."

"With my life."

I nodded solemnly. None of us ever used to be this serious. We were fun-loving pups. We'd had to grow up in a matter of hours the night the pack was destroyed. It felt wrong to be this serious.

"Tomorrow I'll go to the city. I just hope life is on our side."

-x-x-x-

Kiba moved slowly down the street. The wind ruffled his hair around his eyes. The city had been abandoned, though not for long. A good raid of any house showed they were still stocked with food. Perfect. Though there was no-one around to see him, he still wore his human form for caution's sake. The crack of snapping wood made him spin back.

A newly made hole gaped from a boarded window, showing nothing but the shadows within. He could hear a rustling from inside, followed by a short annoyed growl and a bang. Whatever was inside was clearly unaware of his presence. He stepped closer to the building.

With a crash a worn sack was flung through the hole, shortly followed by a scrambling gold shape. Kiba remained silent, gaping at the beautiful she-wolf who had leapt from the window. She was obviously young; her ears, tail and paws were still slightly too large to fit with the rest of her body. Her fur was thick and silky looking, although tufts of it stuck up in odd angles, as if she hadn't had time to groom recently. It was a beautiful golden blonde, and reminded Kiba of sunlight.

Kiba's eyes traced over her sides, where the ribs showed unhealthily. On her left flank a jagged wound stretched, brutal but not infected. There was no denying that the young she-wolf was very beautiful, but she also looked very hurt and broken.

With a small growl Kiba stepped out of the shadows. The she-wolf turned, snarling. She of course could see through his human disguise, to the snow-white wolf underneath. She snarled again, fur standing on end and body tense. Kiba continued to move forward, as the she-wolf backed off, tail tucked firmly between her legs. She continued to growl. Kiba watched her, content she was submissive to an older, stronger wolf. How wrong he was.

With a snarl and a flash of pearly fangs the she-wolf snapped at his forepaw, teeth snagging just above the joint. Kiba yelped and leapt back, as she dived for her sack and ran. Shaking his head he watched her retreating paws, and the triumphant swish of her tail as she leapt a fence and vanished.

-x-x-x-

"Aya, thank heaven you're back. Hurry, it's Maiko!" Rika ran out to greet me, tail clasped between her legs. I bounded forward, dragging my sack. I dumped it when I got to the cave, scrambling to the huddle of fur beside Aika.

"What happened?" I snapped at Aika.

"She just fell to the side twitching. Her eyes were wide and bloodshot and foam was dribbling from her mouth. I think she had a seizure."

I dropped onto my forelegs in front of the little blonde wolf. "Maiko?" I whined, licking her nose, "Maiko, can you hear me."

She opened one eye to peer at me, before giving a high piercing whine. "Maiko, I brought food." Aika stepped forward, offering a hot dog from the bag. Maiko attempted to chew, but she was so weak. Aika stepped forward again, chewing the hot dog before putting it in Maiko's mouth. It was the same technique our mothers and aunts used with us when we were pups; regurgitating the food into our mouths. Maiko managed to swallow twice, before shaking and curling up again. I lay down beside her, resting my head over the top of hers. A single tear rolled from my eye and down my nose. Our little Maiko was dying.

"Aya?" She whispered, "What do you think it's like? Paradise?"

"I think Paradise is anything you want it to be."

Maiko smiled. "You're an amazing Alphess, Aya."

"I'm not an Alphess."

Maiko sighed, pressing against me. "You'll always be my Alphess. I know you're still young but you're my Alpha forever."

"And you will always be my little pack sister."

Maiko sighed. "One day we'll see each other again." She sighed again, and from then on was silent. She must have fallen asleep.

Maiko was a wonderful young wolf, and that night she breathed her last breath. I'll never forget her.

-x-x-x-

"I'm telling you Tsume there was another wolf in the city. A she-wolf."

Tsume glared. "Whatever, like I care."

Toboe bounced excitedly. "Wow, another wolf. I wonder if she wants to join us. Kiba, can we go find her?"

Kiba smiled down at Toboe. "I plan to."

Hige grinned, "Hey, if she doesn't have a mate we're sorted."

Tsume sneered at Hige. "Even if she doesn't, what makes you think you stand a chance. _Anyone_ would have better taste than that."

Kiba butted in before an argument could get out of hand. "It's settled then. We find the she-wolf."

-x-x-x-

**Okie dokie that was the first chapter. I will attempt to publish the next one soon as it is the summer holidays. Hope you enjoyed it. Please review. x x x Artemis**


	2. Chapter 2

**As you all know I do not own any of the Wolf's Rain characters however the four females Aya, Rika, Ren and Aika are mine. A newly deceased character of Maiko is also mine, although anyone who has read Chapter One will know that. **

**Here you go. Next chapter. Enjoy it...**

* * *

_We are all travellers in the wilderness of this world, and the best we can find in our travels is an honest friend._

_Robert Louis Stevenson_

Chapter Two – Into the Wilderness

_It starts with sadness. The sadness lingers. It ends with sadness. Is there anything that could make me feel happiness again? In a matter of minutes we had lost our dearest friend, a young wolf who still hadn't found her paws in the world. Why is it, that the ones that don't deserve to go, the ones who deserve to live, are always the first to die? _

I can smell him. His putrid scent wafts to me on the wind, a disgusting mixture of sweat, blood, rot and body odour. I watch from a distance, hidden behind a trash can. He's made a den out of discarded wood and cardboard, and a tattered blanket is wrapped around his body. He's a homeless, the human equivalent of a lone wolf. Yet a lone wolf would be in much better condition than this. He's deathly pale, with straggly grey hair and a beard that clearly hasn't been trimmed for some time. His breathing is loud, and every few minutes he coughs brutally. I can hear the phlegm gargling in his throat.

I get to my feet, nose twitching around the side of the trash. It isn't him I am interested in, it's the dead deer at his feet. It's a young buck, with tiny antlers sticking from its head. It is slightly smaller than me, easy enough to carry and a good meal for my pack and I. All I have to do is sneak out there, grab it, and run like crazy. Simple. That handgun might be a problem though.

It's tucked into the waistband of his jeans, small yet sinister looking. I have to handle this carefully, or this could be my last act of thievery. I know humans keep dogs as pets, so maybe this man will mistake me for some large dog breed. There's only one way to find out.

I step carefully out from my hiding place. I drop my head low, ears back and tail wagging. The submissive puppy expression. He watches me, coughing violently before pulling out the gun. I freeze. He loads it, laying it ready beside him. Then he turns back to look at me again. I give a small whine, sneaking forward on my belly. He chuckles. The deer is a metre away, and I continue to wriggle towards it. The sweet scent of meat touches my nose, blocking out the man's putrid scent. One more step...

He notices my plan too late. With a flash of fangs the buck's neck is clasped in my jaws and I spin. I run, heading towards a low fence. I hear a click. I brace my legs, launching myself from the ground. As I sail over the wood, I hear a bang. Burning agony shoots through my right flank, and as I reach the other side my rear legs crumple under me. I can hear the man getting up on the other side, and I dig my fore claws into the ground, dragging myself and the deer through the dirt. I hear the sound of snarling, and another gunshot. A silver shadow leaps over my head, and I hear the man scream in terror. A furry face snuffles in the haze in front of my eyes. I give a feeble growl, carcass still clasped in my mouth. My vision blurs, and the world goes blank...

-x-x-x-

I awake to the taste of dirt and blood. My face is pressed into the ground, the dusty earth clogging my nostrils. I gag, raising my head and coughing. Droplets of blood spray from my mouth, splashing the ground with bloody splotches. I'm wearing my human illusion. It's an instinct my friends and I developed as pups, a useful survival manoeuvre. If we find ourselves injured, unable to escape or losing consciousness, we automatically disguise our wolf form. Apparently it's saved my life again. Or was it the shapes that flew over my head that saved my life? Either way, I'm alive. For now. The only way to ensure I stay alive is to get to know my surroundings. Survival rule one; familiarise yourself with the environment.

I sit up straight, shaking myself. My human disguise is a teenage girl, with long golden hair pulled back in a messy braid. My clothes are simple brown shorts, beige T-shirt, sleeveless leather jacket and a pair of hiking boots. I cough again, squinting around me. Though daylight, the world is shadowed and overcast, with thick patches of snow still left from the blizzard. To my left is an abandoned warehouse. Holes gape from the walls, dark and eerie. From one hole shine four pairs of gleaming eyes. Wolf eyes.

I lurch to my feet, snarling. Of course I've forgotten my injuries. As I move my body upright my legs give away, and I once more crash face first into the dirt. With an embarrassed cough, I push myself up on human arms. A whine echoes from the warehouse, as I roll over onto my back, panting from pain and exertion. I hear paw-steps, and the pant of an overly enthusiastic pup. I glare up, as a friendly face appears above my head. He's young, my age at a guess, with shoulder-length russet brown hair, a cheeky grin and large amber eyes. "Hi, I'm Toboe!" He beams.

"I'm not interested." I snarl.

"You know, you really should be nicer to us. We saved your life."

"Thanks. Now go away."

I struggle to get up. He moves behind me, lending me his weight. With a shove I'm in a sitting position. "Where's my buck?" I growl.

"Oops," a sandy-brown wolf says. "sorry about that."

I snarl loudly, baring my teeth. "Do you have any idea what that cost me!" I yell, "I have mouths to feed!"

"Whoa, you're a mum!" Toboe gasps, leaping from behind my weight. The loss of support wobbles me, and I topple onto my back. Again. Oh, the humiliation.

"No," I say through gritted teeth, "I am not a mother. I have a..."

I freeze, staring past the chubby wolf's head. Three brown shapes are hurtling down the hill. "Aika, stop!" I bark. The largest wolf's claws dig into the ground and she skids. The others lope to a halt behind her. All three stand tense and ready, snarling down at the strange wolves. I turn back to Toboe. "I have a pack," I continue, "which is why although I appreciate your help, I can't repay you. I have my own life and responsibility to care for." I glance up at the three wolves in the distance, "Or responsibilities."

"Females shouldn't roam the wilderness alone." I turn to face the calm, quiet voice. It's the white wolf I saw in the city, the one who attempted to assert his dominance. Ha! I growl at him, releasing my human disguise and wobbling up onto three paws. I hold my right rear-leg off the ground, balancing my weight between my useful legs. I fix him with my best Alphess stare, amber eyes gleaming.

"You're one of those males that think you're better than us, just because you're bigger. Well where I come from female wolves are prized at the same height as males, maybe even higher. You don't know what strength it takes to bear a litter of pups, to care for them into adulthood, to provide for them before providing for yourself. Where I come from a male and female ruled the pack side by side, as equals, and we thrived."

He says nothing, although the silver wolf beside him is smirking. I snort at them, turning to limp up the hill to my pack. "Where are you going?" Toboe calls.

I turn my head to look at him. I like him. He reminds me of little Maiko, with his puppyish charm and his general cheeriness. "I don't know."

"Have you heard of Paradise." The white wolf breathes. I frown at him, cocking my head to the side. I remember Paradise from the legends we were told as whelps, but that was all it was. A legend. Wasn't it?  
"We're going to Paradise," he continues, "and we were wondering if you wanted to join us."

I pause, glancing up at the three wolves on the hill. Ren and Rika are sitting, watching intently, but Aika stays upright, eyes gleaming and lips pulled back in a silent snarl. I smile at them. My pack. My responsibility. I know it hasn't been easy, being alone without adults. I'd like to tell myself we can manage, that I can take care of them by myself. Then I look at the dull condition of their coats, the ribs that show through their skin, the fear and caution, and the deep trust of me in their eyes. They trust me to do the right thing for them, to protect them and guide them as their Alphess. I can't care for them in this condition, we need help, and there is only one way to get that.

I turn back to the white wolf. "We will come with you, but we are under no obligation to follow your orders. If we decide to leave, we will leave. If we decide to hunt, we will hunt. If we decide to stay, we will stay. My pack are small and we need help, but we would rather die than be controlled. Understand?"

"We understand?" He whispers. I nod.

"I am Aya," I say, head raised and ears forward, "and this is my pack."

**OK, I hope you enjoyed that. I will try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible. Please review. X x **


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